Visual Merch

VISUAL MERCHANDISING: THE ART OF DISPLAY

Isabella Velez
December,2,2012
Johnson County Community College
Fashion Seminar: Career Options

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction 3
II. Job Description 3
III. Tasks 3
IV. Skills 4V. Educational Requirements 4
VI. Personal and Physical Qualifications 5
VII. Salary 5
VIII. Conclusion 5

I. Introduction
We often hear that art is not just a way of expression, it’s a lifestyle. “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is inthe sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live.”(Coco Chanel) Fashion is the maximum expression of art because it realized it from the wall or a table to our everyday life. Now a days fashion has no boundaries, no rules and no limits: it’s a new era fashion now is like a world of its own. Visual merchandising is even a greater way of expression because there is this emptyspace and the use of creativity and letting the imagination fly is going to fill it. In this branch of fashion merchandise is displayed in an aesthetically pleasing way, selling the customer who they would be if they purchase the product.
II. Job Description
Although visual merchandising is everywhere, the highest possibility of succeeding in a job like this (meaning in the fashion field) is incountries that are inspired by fashion like: France, Italy, UK, and USA. A visual merchandiser or a “silent sales person” develops retail stores windows and interiors, depending on the size of the company and the product they are selling it can be a team, a couple of people or a person. They contribute by selling, marketing and advertising the store’s products by displaying and designing thevisual look of the whole store; more specifically by creating an enjoyable, easy and effective shipping experience for the costumer. “Visual merchandising is the art of implementing effective design ideas to increase store traffic and sales volume” Shari Waters. The use of a visual merchandiser in any kind of store is needed because they train to effectively display a product by knowing the costumer.Display and layout work usually occur when the floor is less busy so early mornings, late nights and weekends.
III. Tasks
* Interact with customers to know what to display.
* Develops plan for the complete look of the store: windows and interior.
* Decide what goes into the display window, and how often the window should be changed.
* Constantly creates new and appealinglayouts.
* Manage the inventory and decide when items need to be displayed and stocked.
* Find ways to attract new customers by generation attentions
* Come up with other promotional ideas and marketing gimmicks in order to attract more buyers and generate more attention.
* Make sure the store’s environment is welcoming and represents the brand.
IV. Skills
Visual merchandisersare expected to have outstanding planning and organizational skills, as time and project management. One of the most important for visual merchandisers are communication skills, both verbally and written. Creativity and artistic ability are crucial because window display and store layouts are changed often. Because the hole job is to execute the displays, effective problem solving abilities andattention to detail are required.
V. Educational requirements
The requirements for becoming a visual merchandiser vary from store to store and of course by the level of the position. In a small store or an entry level they may hire someone without college education or experience, but in a retail chain or a higher lever job they will demand to see your track in the field. You can become a...